"Toasty" Feet

Now that it has reached close to 100 degrees in Austin it has reminded us it is time to address the sun and how damaging it can be to the feet. Some of us even wear sandals all year long in Texas making this a very important topic. We won't necessarily address the biomechanics of wearing sandals and how the wrong type or sandal or materials may be hurting you in other ways. Today we want to address the issue of exposure of sun on your feet.

The feet are probably the most neglected part of the body when it comes to applying sunscreen. And why is that? Sandals don’t offer much protection. Most of us only consider using sunscreen when we are going to a beach or laying out to get a tan. We sometimes are so concerned with our faces and upper body that we tend to neglect our lower extremity. Even the bottoms of the feet are susceptible to burns when lying in the sun.

The best way to protect yourself is to apply sunscreen on your feet just as often as you do the rest of the body. Make sure you use a compound that blocks UV-A and UV-B exposure. UV-A rays are associated with aging while UV-B is associated with burns, however UV-A causes the long-term damage. A sunburn of the feet can cause swelling, blistering, pain, and can limit the ability to put on a closed-toe shoe come Monday morning. If you’re feet appear sunburned, but you haven’t been outdoors, you may have another type of skin condition and should see your podiatrist to be properly evaluated. For toasted feet and any other lower extremity problem, come by and see Dr. Grimm and Dr. Pattison at Foot Associates of Central Texas.